Chinese authorities have been urged to ban the trade of dog and cat fur if the country wanted to join "civilised" nations.

Struan Stevenson, a Scottish Conservative MEP, made the comment yesterday, just days before the trade will be banned across Europe. He said: "My hope is that a Europe-wide ban, together with the refusal of America and Australia to market such wares, can bring an absolute end to the killing of these animals for their skin.

"China must now follow suit if it genuinely wants to belong to the global family of civilised nations.

"I urge the Chinese authorities to ban this trade and, in particular, close down the export of cat and dog skins to Russia."

Mr Stevenson has campaigned for nine years with the Humane Society International for a ban on the import, export and trade in the furs across the EU.

He said cat and dog skins have been used to provide fur trims in coats, the linings of ski boots and lifelike toy animals.

Mr Stevenson said skins - imported from China - had been used to manufacture full-length fur coats made from alsatian puppies and rugs made from golden retrievers.

The ban in all 27 EU states will come into force on January 1. America and Australia have passed similar legislation.

Mr Stevenson hit out at the "barbaric trade" and added: "This ban is a huge victory for the innocent victims, the millions of cats and dogs in China and Asia who have now been saved from gruesome, unnecessary deaths simply to meet demand in the EU."